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apollonaut. Built by People Who've Been

An Apollonaut travel guide

Look a little closer.

Read through the tower, the view and the city below. Each is a different way to begin a visit.

Looking straight down the glass side of Willis Tower to the streets and the Chicago River below
On this page

Ways into the story

  1. The bundled tube

    Begin with the Journal’s account of the tower’s design.

  2. People and place

    Follow the heritage introduction into the tower’s history, from 1970 to today.

  3. A city in detail

    Explore Chicago’s river and skyline through the Building Chicago guide.

Stories with a clear point of view

A useful story gives you something specific to notice: a setback in the tower, a date, a change over time or a question worth carrying into a visit. Context matters as much as a striking image.

This hub brings Skydeck Chicago’s editorial pages together. It does not present commissioned interviews, community projects or independent field reporting that have not taken place. When new reporting is added, its contributors, dates and image credits should travel with it.

The Apollonaut collection

You might like to visit

Gardens, palaces and landmarks you can book today. Search by attraction or city, or browse them all below.

The Breakers seen across its lawn, with arcaded loggias between two wings and red-tiled roofs Bookable

The Breakers

Newport, USA · Palaces & landmarks

From US$64

A blue Scenic Skyway cabin crossing the gorge towards the cliff-top station at Scenic World, above eucalypt forest Bookable

Scenic World

Blue Mountains, Australia · Gardens & outdoors

From A$128

The mansion at Nemours Estate beside a clipped boxwood parterre and a gravel walk Bookable

Nemours Estate

Wilmington, USA · Palaces & landmarks

From US$50

A male lion resting on a timber platform in the sun at Sydney Zoo Bookable

Sydney Zoo

Sydney, Australia · Gardens & outdoors

From A$110

The west front of Monticello, with its white columned portico and dome above a wide lawn, under autumn trees Bookable

Monticello

Charlottesville, USA · Palaces & landmarks

From US$44

The white-columned portico and stone façade of Graceland, with a white lion statue on each side of the front steps Bookable

Graceland

Memphis, USA · Art & culture

From US$173

Verandahed shops along the unsealed Main Street of Sovereign Hill Bookable

Sovereign Hill

Ballarat, Australia · Art & culture

From A$136

The rendered walls and arched windows of the Woolmers homestead, with roses along its front Bookable

Woolmers Estate

Longford, Australia · Gardens & outdoors

From A$98

The Space Needle beside the towers of downtown Seattle, with Mount Rainier in the distance Bookable

Space Needle

Seattle, USA · Palaces & landmarks

From US$116

Two elephants beside a pool in a leafy enclosure at Australia Zoo Bookable

Australia Zoo

Sunshine Coast, Australia · Gardens & outdoors

From A$155

Sharks and fish swimming above coral in a large tank at Cairns Aquarium Bookable

Cairns Aquarium

Cairns, Australia · Gardens & outdoors

From A$122

The moss-streaked towers of the castle at Paronella Park, rising above tropical plants Bookable

Paronella Park

Mena Creek, Australia · Gardens & outdoors

From A$124

The Lake Michigan shoreline and Lake Shore Drive in the evening, seen from the observation deck Bookable

360 CHICAGO

Chicago, USA · Palaces & landmarks

From US$80

Blue Skyfari gondolas gliding above the wooded canyons and red-roofed buildings of the zoo under a bright blue sky Bookable

San Diego Zoo

San Diego, USA · Gardens & outdoors

From US$156

A giant panda sitting among green plants and eating bamboo at Adelaide Zoo Bookable

Adelaide Zoo

Adelaide, Australia · Gardens & outdoors

From A$99

A green-and-cream vintage streetcar passing the arched front of Pier 15 on the Embarcadero Bookable

Exploratorium

San Francisco, USA · Art & culture

From US$80

The domed Zoo Center at the Bronx Zoo, with carved elephant heads beside its arched entrance, on a summer day Bookable

Bronx Zoo

New York, USA · Gardens & outdoors

From US$58

The bluestone gatehouse of Kryal Castle, its name above the arched entrance between two round towers, photographed in 1996 Bookable

Kryal Castle

Ballarat, Australia · Palaces & landmarks

From A$88

The Big Pheasant, a giant painted pheasant statue rising above native shrubs at Tynong, under a blue sky Bookable

Gumbuya World

Melbourne, Australia · Gardens & outdoors

From A$158

The steel walkway of the Tahune Airwalk curving out over the forest, with the Huon River and wooded hills below Bookable

Tahune Airwalk

Hobart, Australia · Gardens & outdoors

From A$70

The Field Museum’s long columned front and steps, with Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline beyond Bookable

Field Museum

Chicago, USA · Art & culture

From US$60

A Tasmanian devil sitting on a flat rock in front of fallen logs and a rocky stream Bookable

Devils@Cradle

Cradle Mountain, Australia · Gardens & outdoors

From A$55

The Dreamworld globe and sign above the park entrance, with wide curved steps in front under a blue sky Bookable

Dreamworld

Gold Coast, Australia · Art & culture

From A$198

The wooden observation tower above the breeding marsh at Gatorland, with still water and green trees under a blue sky Bookable

Gatorland

Orlando, USA · Gardens & outdoors

From US$75

Coloured tube slides at WhiteWater World winding above yellow shade sails and a pool, with a roller coaster loop behind Bookable

WhiteWater World

Gold Coast, Australia · Gardens & outdoors

From A$158

The tall Aussie World sign by the road, with striped entrance tents, a Ferris wheel and the pub building under a blue sky Bookable

Aussie World

Sunshine Coast, Australia · Art & culture

From A$118

The Memphis Zoo’s Egyptian-style entrance, painted with hieroglyphs and animal figures, under a blue sky Bookable

Memphis Zoo

Memphis, USA · Gardens & outdoors

From US$56

The Audubon Zoo entrance, with its green sign and painted animals above the gates, framed by tall palm trees Bookable

Audubon Zoo

New Orleans, USA · Gardens & outdoors

From US$75

The Phoenix Zoo’s curved brick entrance building beneath a shade canopy and a blue sky Bookable

Phoenix Zoo

Phoenix, USA · Gardens & outdoors

From US$90

The Houston Zoo main entrance, with its large sign above a covered gateway on a sunny day Bookable

Houston Zoo

Houston, USA · Gardens & outdoors

From US$68

The London Eye beside County Hall on the South Bank, seen across the River Thames under a blue sky with clouds Bookable

London Eye

London, United Kingdom · Palaces & landmarks

From £78

Two giraffes outside the brick Giraffe House at London Zoo, with its tall arched doorways, on a sunny day Bookable

ZSL London Zoo

London, United Kingdom · Gardens & outdoors

From £71

The Round Tower of Windsor Castle on its mound, a flag flying above it, behind battlemented stone walls under a blue sky Bookable

Windsor Castle

London, United Kingdom · Palaces & landmarks

From £72

The long stone south front of Warwick Castle and its round corner tower, above the River Avon and a wide lawn Bookable

Warwick Castle

Warwick, United Kingdom · Palaces & landmarks

From £78

The White Tower rising above the outer walls of the Tower of London, seen across the Thames under a blue sky Bookable

Tower of London

London, United Kingdom · Palaces & landmarks

From £76

The south front of Blenheim Palace, a long Baroque façade of golden stone with a columned portico and corner towers, above a wide lawn Bookable

Blenheim Palace

Oxford, United Kingdom · Palaces & landmarks

From £88

The stone circle at Stonehenge on its grassy plain, sarsen uprights and lintels against a pale sky Bookable

Stonehenge

Salisbury, United Kingdom · Palaces & landmarks

From £64

Brightly painted wooden boats on the sand beside a lagoon in the Islands area of Chester Zoo Bookable

Chester Zoo

Chester, United Kingdom · Gardens & outdoors

From £77

The west towers and the pinnacled south side of York Minster under a blue sky with white clouds Bookable

York Minster

York, United Kingdom · Palaces & landmarks

From £40

Gentoo penguins on round stone nests beside the penguin pool at Edinburgh Zoo, with a footbridge and trees behind on a sunny day Bookable

Edinburgh Zoo

Edinburgh, United Kingdom · Gardens & outdoors

From £59

The angular, silver-clad Titanic Belfast building under a deep blue sky with white clouds Bookable

Titanic Belfast

Belfast, United Kingdom · Art & culture

From £54

The Alcazaba and the walls of the Alhambra above the trees of Granada Bookable

The Alhambra

Granada, Spain · Palaces & landmarks

From €28

Palm tree and palace walls reflected in the central pool at El Badi Palace Bookable

El Badi Palace

Marrakech, Morocco · Palaces & landmarks

From €25

The garden courtyard and mausoleum buildings at the Saadian Tombs Bookable

Saadian Tombs

Marrakech, Morocco · Palaces & landmarks

From €25

The Grand Courtyard of Bahia Palace with its painted galleries Bookable

Bahia Palace

Marrakech, Morocco · Palaces & landmarks

From €25

The Menara Pavilion and its palms reflected in the great basin Bookable

Menara Pavilion

Marrakech, Morocco · Gardens & outdoors

From €25

A restored arched gate of the Roman camp at Tamuda, with Tétouan beyond Bookable

Tamuda

Tétouan, Morocco · Palaces & landmarks

From €25

The Arch of Caracalla at Volubilis, with farmland beyond Bookable

Volubilis

Meknes, Morocco · Palaces & landmarks

From €25

The harbour tower and arches of the Skala du Port above blue fishing boats Bookable

Skala du Port

Essaouira, Morocco · Palaces & landmarks

From €25

Standing columns in the palatial quarter on the hilltop at Lixus Bookable

Lixus

Larache, Morocco · Palaces & landmarks

From €25

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